And Then I Knew
by Musicat
Summary: A story in four parts - Victoria, Alejandro, Mendoza and De Soto's discoveries of the man who hid behind the mask for so many years.
1. Chapter 1

**And Then I Knew**

**Part 1-Victoria's POV**

"Victoria?"

Victoria turned, startled to hear the voice of her friend Diego in the privacy of her kitchen. His voice was full of concern for her and she tried hastily to wipe the tears off of her face. She was busy washing the morning's dishes while the tavern was closed for siesta and had not expected any company. She certainly had not anticipated anyone else interrupting her pity party. But leave it to Diego to be consistently inconsistent.

"What's wrong?" he asked timidly, as he held the gift in his hand awkwardly.

She could not help but feel slightly sorry for him despite her own low mood. Diego would have no idea how to deal with a woman's emotions, let alone hers. But he was a good friend and would certainly try his best to comfort her. And that's what she needed at that moment. Normally she would have said nothing, smiled and accepted the gift Diego obviously had brought for her birthday. But today she did not have it in her to pretend she was happy. Not when her twenty eighth birthday brought her no closer to the life she wanted for herself. Besides, part of her knew she wanted Diego to comfort her. He always seemed to know the right thing to say.

"Why won't Francisco formally pardon Zorro?" she asked in exacerbation, her labile moods evident as she seemed to switch from sad to angry in an instant. She placed the dish she had been washing back into the sink to keep herself from throwing it across the room.

Los Angeles had been a Mexican territory for almost three weeks now and her brother was presiding as the acting alcalde until a formal election could be held. He knew she was in love with Zorro. He knew the masked man had only fought against the tyranny that he himself had helped liberate them from. Then why didn't Francisco exonerate Zorro?

"I spoke to your brother about that. He said that he would not actively try to capture Zorro, and has rescinded the prize for his capture, but he could not condone Zorro's actions or it would be seen as formally condoning vigilantism. A just government cannot condone anarchy, even when it's desirable. He thinks it would be better for everyone if Zorro just faded away. It would show the people of Los Angeles that Mexico is fair, and doesn't require his brand of heroism."

Victoria smiled at Diego, when he talked politics he suddenly seemed like the man he had been when he spoke to the royal emissary about the pueblo's taxations. She almost flushed when her mind turned to the night afterward they had spent alone in an abandoned windmill. But then her mind quickly distracted her with the fact that something in Diego's tone did not sit well with her.

"You're not suggesting that you agree with him?" she demanded. Didn't Diego understand? Zorro was a hero and he deserved a hero's reward. Not to fade out of everyone's minds to be forgotten in the business of a normal life.

"I agree whole-heartedly," admitted Diego, though he appeared to be watching carefully for her reaction.

"You and my brother are both idiots then," she declared, deciding she would take some of the anger at her brother out on Diego since he was there.

"Zorro seems to agree with us too since no one has seen him since the revolution. Is he an idiot as well?"

"Well then hhe's a bigger idiot than both of you," muttered Victoria though she felt disloyal saying so about her betrothed to Diego. But she had been internally swearing at her masked lover for days and it was a relief to get some of those feelings off her chest.

Victoria smiled at her friend for a second as he seemed to find this sentiment worthy of one of his rare laughs that actually reached his eyes. She mused that Diego never seemed to laugh sincerely and it warmed her heart to see him this way.

"I don't know what you find so funny," she added after a minute.

"I finally live up to the expectations of Zorro and it's only in my ability to be an idiot," he added self-deprecatingly.

"No one expects you to live up to the expectations of Zorro Don Diego," she replied. She suddenly felt mad at herself for bringing up Zorro with Don Diego. She knew that it bothered her friend.

"Yes, but sometimes I wished I could be more like Zorro," admitted Don Diego, his voice taking a more serious tone. "It would have made my life a lot easier to be a man of action. I admit, I have been jealous of him on more than one occasion."

Victoria looked at Diego in surprise, willing him not to proclaim those things which she had fancied she had seen in his eyes on several occasions. Despite the fact that she was furiously willing him not to make her reject him for Zorro, he went on anyway.

"To openly challenge De Soto to a duel, to come riding into town on Toronado, to kiss a beautiful woman would have been nice."

Victoria flushed at Diego's words.

"Don't be ridiculous Diego, you would have gotten yourself killed, or hung afterward," she chastised hoping that he would stop his declaration but hoping he would go on at the same time.

"Exactly. That's why I could never do it. I had to use the Guardian to support my cause, I had to probe Mendoza for information under the guise of lunch, I had to hide my intentions in shadows to protect myself and the ones I loved. I had to hide my very self in those same shadows so no one would see the similarities."

Victoria stared at her friend in shock while the pit in her stomach burned with anticipation of his next words.

"It was easy playing the hero; but it was much harder playing the coward. I will gladly let Zorro the hero fade into the background if I can stop being Diego the coward. I want to be the man I was meant to be."

Victoria's voice almost cracked on the words, "Who were you meant to be Diego?"

"Not a hero. But a man you and my father could be proud of querido."

Victoria should have been angry, but her heart was too busy breaking at the sincerity in Diego's words, and the realization of what he had done. He had spent the last decade being half the man he was supposed to be. He let his father put him down. He let her tease him for being less than he truly was. Despite her fiery temper she was naturally caring and wanted to comfort him. She reached out for his hand and soon was met with the longing eyes of the man she loved.

End Chapter 1


	2. Chapter 2

**And Then I Knew**

**2-Alejandro's POV**

Alejandro rode out to the tavern, shaking his head at his son's carelessness. Diego had forgotten to take the carved picture frame and painting of the tavern he had painted for Victoria's birthday when he rode to the tavern that afternoon. Diego had originally wanted to give Victoria his mother's emerald earrings as well but he had staunchly nixed that idea. Those earrings matched his mother's ring and belonged with a future Donna de la Vega, not just a good family friend. Even if Diego was determined to be a bachelor than Felipe would have them instead for his bride.

But Diego asking for those earrings combined with the fact he had gone in the middle of siesta gave Alejandro a strange feeling about things. It was not proper for Diego to give Victoria any gift at all now, not in the middle of the day when no one else was around. He should have stopped him before he headed out but his indolent son could be surprisingly headstrong at times.

Alejandro entered the tavern feeling slightly guilty to be disregarding the closed sign and walking in anyway. But it hadn't deterred his son so he figured it would be okay. He expected to hear Victoria and Diego talking but the tavern was suspiciously quiet. Worried for her a second he impatiently pulled open the curtains to her kitchen.

"Madre de dios," he exclaimed as he revealed Victoria and his son in a rather intimate embrace.

"Father," groaned Diego, the first of the three to recover spontaneous speech. Victoria merely flushed scarlet as she quickly disentangled herself from Diego's embrace.

Alejandro could only look from his son to Victoria, trying to make sense of what he saw, but there was only one obvious conclusion. One that he should have reached when he saw Gilberto and Diego fighting all those months ago.

"You're Zorro?" he demanded, before his son had a chance to come up with some lame excuse for why he was mauling Victoria in her kitchen.

"Yes father," he admitted.

Alejandro sighed and placed the present he had brought for Victoria down on her kitchen counter.

"I should have known," he mumbled to himself, a troubled look in his eyes.

Diego took a step away from Victoria and towards his father.

"Father I wanted to tell you so many times…" he began.

"I should have known," interrupted Alejandro as he starred into his son's eyes. "You shouldn't have had to tell me Diego, I should have known."

Quietness pervaded over the three occupants of the tavern as the guilt in Alejandro's words and thoughts on how to make things right evaded them. Finally Alejandro spoke, his tone dripping with reminiscence of times long past.

"You were the naughtiest child when you were little Diego. Always getting into mischief and trying my patience, though your poor mother had infinite patience for you. She would merely smile and say that you were my son after all. Then after your mother got sick, and passed away, suddenly you were the model child. You were her son then. You didn't do anything bad that could upset me for years afterward."

Alejandro paused as the memories of the shell both he and Diego became after Felicidad's death tore at his heart.

"Then one day Senora Escalante brought you home and reported that you and Francisco had snuck my prize stallion out and were attempting to jump Devil's Moutain."

Alejandro smiled at the memory.

"I remember that you gave me a good tongue lashing after that," added Diego.

"Yes, but Diego after you were sent to your room I was nothing but relieved. That you were you again. Albeit you were far from perfect, you were a de la Vega. Someone who sometimes tends to do stupid and only half thought out things because they are following their heart and their sense of adventure."

Alejandro smiled as he thought of it. How Zorro was the very embodiment of that little boy.

"Today I feel like I did then my son, like I've gotten my son back."

Diego moved toward his father and Alejandro embraced his son.

"But Diego, that doesn't mean you don't deserve a good tongue lashing now just like you did then."

Alejandro laughed at the contrite look on his son's face. He found it amusing when he thought that he was lecturing Zorro. But heroes were only men to the ones who knew them best.

"Oh I wouldn't dare lecture you about Zorro. You did what you thought was best and I couldn't be prouder of you my son. But Diego de la Vega, this is not how a gentleman conducts himself with a lady."

Alejandro may have lectured his son and the lovely young woman who didn't leave his side throughout the whole ordeal for a good half of an hour. But as he watched them make their way towards Padres Benitez he couldn't be happier.

End Chapter 2

Thanks everyone for your reviews! I was so excited when I saw them all. I hope you enoyed this part at well, I found Alejandro a lot more difficult to work with then Victoria.


	3. Chapter 3

**And Then I Knew**

**3- Mendoza's POV**

Mendoza picked up his Spanish military uniform and carefully folded it before slowly placing it in his trunk. He was staying with the De La Vega's while he was trying to figure out his next steps. He had been offered a place in the Mexican army but with a demoted rank. In an unusual fit of pride he had denied the offered position. Both Victoria and Diego had pleaded with Francisco to return the Sergeant to his rightful position but Francisco pointed out that he already had a Sergeant, one who had fought a war of independence alongside him and could not be demoted.

He heard a knock on his door and was surprised to see Senorita Escalante standing outside. He would have been even more shocked to know it was really the Donna de la Vega who stood before him.

"Senorita?" he asked in surprise.

"I am sorry to interrupt you Mendoza…"

"I don't believe either Don Diego or Don Alejandro are home Senorita," he replied anticipating that she must be looking for his patrons. "But if you have brought some lunch…"

"Sergeant Mendoza…" she cut in, and he expected her to ask when the de la Vegas would be returning. But instead she asked him to follow her to the library, saying something about how she wanted to talk to him about a business transaction.

"Please, I am no longer a member of the Royal Military, please call me Jaime," he interrupted. It was both comforting and hurtful at the same time to hear people continue to call him Sergeant Mendoza .

Victoria merely nodded and then rambled out the following proposal as if she had something much better to be doing than standing there talking with him.

"Well, that is part of what I wished to talk to you about. My brother Francisco is much too busy as alcalde, and Ramon has settled in Monterey with his new family. Neither of them are interested in running the Tavern. As you know it is very close to my heart and I would very much like a close friend who loves the Tavern as much as I do to run it. I know Los Angeles is your home and you are in need of employment. And I need someone to run the place for me. If you are interested you could take the Tavern over from me, buy it from me slowly over time as you make a profit. I would help teach you the business side of things, and of course Pilar and Alice know all my recipes and are just as good cooks as myself. I could also help you train another cook if that is required."

Jaime stared at Victoria in surprise. She was offering him the Tavern? Had she gone loco? She certainly seemed to be acting strangely.

"Victoria I am honored you would offer me your Tavern. But my I ask why would you give it up? It should be very profitable with all the recent changes."

She smiled and simply replied, "I have gotten married."

"And your husband has something against the Tavern?" he asked in shock.

Zorro would have to be crazy to want to give up the profits of the Tavern and the possibility of all the tamales he could eat! Surely a cape would hide the extra pounds if nothing would.

Victoria smiled at his outburst.

"My husband told me to do as I like with my property. This is what I would like to do. "

"But wouldn't he want to run it with you?" asked Mendoza in surprise. "There is money to be made Senorita, I mean Senora Victoria. I don't want Zorro coming to find me in the middle of the night for stealing his property, because I would feel like I am robbing from you."

"The only thing you are robbing from her is a chance to be alone with her new husband by not accepting her offer faster."

Victoria flushed scarlet as Don Alejandro and Felipe walked into the library, and Mendoza thought it was a very odd for Alejandro to be teasing her so.

"Now Mendoza, accept Victoria's offer and come with Felipe and I to have a meal at your new Tavern. You know the owner always eats for free."

Mendoza smiled at that prospect, and with a little more encouragement from his friends he shook Victoria's hand on the deal. Then Don Alejandro put an arm around his back and led him out of the room.

"Senora Victoria aren't you leaving with us?" he asked looking at the Senora who oddly enough seemed to be looking for something in the fireplace. He hoped she hadn't gotten cold feet now that she was already married.

Alejandro and Felipe smiled strangely at each other and Victoria only smiled. They all looked entirely too happy now that he thought about it.

"Mendoza, she's already home," Alejandro whispered in his ear.

He took a few more steps before that statement sunk in.

"Madre Dios, did Victoria just marry Don Diego!"

"Well I would say they've been married almost an hour now," replied Alejandro matter of factly, continuing to lead Mendoza away.

"But, then, that must mean…." He turned around to peak at the Senora again, just in time to see Diego pop out of the fireplace. He just as quickly turned around again. "I see," he whispered to himself.

"What do you see Chef Mendoza?" asked Alejandro, a knowing look on his face.

"That they are both very lucky."

End Chapter 3

A/N: Yes, this took awhile. I have no excuse. Except that I did not get inspired until now.


	4. Chapter 4

**And Then I Knew**

**4- De Soto's POV**

De Soto grimaced at the knock on his office door. He knew his students had just received their final marks and would be more than upset at his marking scheme. He did not look forward to watching arrogant and lazy young men beg for leniency. If they wanted better marks they should have worked harder. Though with only one more semester left until retirement he had been tempted just to pass most of them to avoid the onslaught of complaints.

"Professor De Soto I wonder if I may speak with you for a moment?"

De Soto was surprised to see Sebastian, he was one of the few students who had actually passed his courses and he had never asked to speak with him before. Usually he just participated in class, did the prescribed work and went on his way. De Soto almost regretted this, there was something about Sebastian that made him want to fail him.

"Yes Sebastian?" asked De Soto, gesturing for the young man to sit down in front of his desk. "I take it _you_ aren't disappointed with your marks," he stated.

Sebastian looked up in surprise at his professor. As a matter of fact he was disappointed but knew De Soto marked fiercely and was just happy to pass. He knew his father and mother would understand when he explained to him about De Soto. Though he wondered if they would believe in such a bitter old man. But either way he had no more classes with him and was relieved at the prospect.

"No, it's not about that. I actually wanted to ask you something. I know you are going to retire soon and I wanted to know, who is going to replace you as the fencing instructor?"

De Soto looked at surprise at the young man.

"I don't think they have found anyone yet," he remarked carelessly, wondering why the young man was curious. "Why do you ask? You have never enrolled in lessons." He eyed the sword the young man carried at his side.

"Oh, my father thought I should focus on other things if he was going to send me to Spain," explained Sebastian quickly.

For years Sebastian had practiced the art of fencing, with one goal, to beat first Felipe, and then his father. He had pursued the goal with such single minded intensity that when he had finally done it, his father had given him the blade of Toledo steel with pride and told him to focus on other things when he arrived in Madrid for his studies.

De Soto looked at the young man with interest, he had wondered this when he first read his pupil's last name on his exam sheet, but he had doubted it could be the same family. Now he was not so sure.

"You do not happen to be related to Diego De la Vega?" he asked, remembering a time far away. A chapter in his life that he tried not to think about.

"Yes that's my father," said Sebastian Alejandro De la Vega with pride.

De Soto almost chuckled but stopped himself, so good old Diego raising an army of pacifists. Though he was surprised he had ever married.

"I went to school with your father," stated De Soto, not mentioning his time as alcalde of Los Angeles.

This seemed to please the boy and he was made brave enough to ask the favour he was meaning to request when he came to talk to De Soto.

"Yes, well, my older brother Felipe and his wife are coming to visit me. They are going to be here for half a year and I thought Felipe could take on the post as the fencing instructor until they find someone permanent to replace you."

Felipe had mentioned nothing of the kind, but Sebastian knew his brother would grow very bored in Madrid if he did not have some sort of occupation.

De Soto looked at Sebastian in wonderment.

"Does Felipe know how to fence?" asked De Soto, barely keeping his tone serious.

"Of course, father taught him."

This time De Soto could not help himself. He laughed of the absurd idea that Diego's adopted deaf mute son would be a fencing instructor at the University of Madrid.

"I do not understand what is so funny sir," bite out Sebastian.

"Your father teach anyone to fence?" asked De Soto in amazement. "He was the clumsiest man with a sword I have ever seen in my life and what he lacked in skill he lacked even further in bravado. And your _brother_ Felipe? A deaf mute being taught by your father? It could only result in disaster."

Sebastian was on his feet in a second, the De la Vega pride and Escalante temper burning at the insults to his family. He pulled out his sword and lifted it inb challenge to his professor.

"I will show you what my father taught me," he bit out before remembering his father's words and gaining a control of his emotions.

De Soto starred at the sword, and the look in the young man's eyes. He had tried hard to forget this part.

"What was your mother's name before she married your father?" he asked softly as Sebastian watched him like a hawk about to move on its prey.

"Victoria Escalente," replied Sebastian, looking at De Soto in surprise, but not lowering his sword.

De Soto nodded at this. He remained quiet for several minutes before responding.

"In that case, I made a mistake about your father. He is an excellent swordsman."

Sebastian starred at the older man in surprise, placing his sword back at his side.

"So would you give a good word for Felipe?" asked Sebastian, not quite sure what just happened. Or why his professor looked like he had seen a ghost.

De Soto merely nodded, and Sebastian left with the feeling something very odd had happened. He would have to write his parents about this.

The End


End file.
